Corn popping apparatus



Filed Oct. 6, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l July 8, 1941. v c. .1. cRET'oRs2,248,812

CORN POPPING APPARATUS July 8, 1941. c. J. CRETORS CORN POPPINGAPPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jamar.- I Wa5%-ehr6,

Filed Oct. 6, 1958 July 8, 1941. c. J. CRETORS CORN POPPING APPARATUSFiled Oct. 6,, 1938' ,5 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 8, 1941. c. J. CRETORS CORNPOPPING APPARATUS Filed Oct. e, 1938 7 r5 sheets-sheet 4 July 8, 1941.

C. J. CRETORS CORN POPPING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1958 5SheetS-Sh'eetfi uniform in kernel sizes.

Patented July 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORN POPPING APPARATUSCharles J. Cretors, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 6, 1938, Serial No. 233,545

' a pan structure for a cornpopping apparatus 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in corn p pping apparatus and itconsists oi. the matters hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In apparatus with which the present invention is concerned, thetemperature maintained' at the bottom of the popping pan by the heatingelement is quite important. There i a best temperature range which givesthe best results in popping corn. In substantially this range, the

P pped kernels are large and uniform in size so that not only theappearance of the batch is attractive, but the bulk yield is alsoincreased. There is also a substantial absence of unpopped kernels inthe popped batch. In temperatures above and below said range, theresults vary. With popping temperature below said range, the poppedkernels are irregular in size, with small kernels predominating. Thisreduces the bulk or volume of the batch and much waste occurs because ofthe unpopped kernels. With po ping temperatures above said range, theyield in popped kernels is not only irregular, but the popped kernelsare scorched or shriveled. This affects the flavor and appearance of thebatch with a loss of volume therein.

Heretofore, the bottom of the popping pan has been relatively thin andthe temperature varied between two extremes. Thus the pan bottom wouldget too hot at times. When the raw corn and the seasoning were placed inthe pan they would absorb heat so rapidly that the pan bottomtemperature was reduced to a degree below the range mentioned.Considerable time was, therefore, taken in raising the temperature tothe popping range and this retarded operations.

Again, in a thin bottomed popping pan, the thermostat cannot follow thetemperature changes at the bottom as quickly as they occur, so that thethermostat operated only between the two extremes oi temperature, oneabove popping temperature and the other below that temperature.Therefore, the popped corn was not scorching occurred in the higherranges and in the lower ranges many kernels remained unpopped. Wheneither above or below the desired range, the bulk was less.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a constructionin which the desired temperature range can be maintained throughout agreater part of the operating period whereby more popped corn of maximumsize is obtained and whereby a greater volume of popped corn is alsoproduced per unit of time.

Another object o! the invention is to provide which is of such athickness that after being charged with raw corn and seasoning, it willhave sufficient residual heat so that the temperature of the pan bottomwill not be reduced much, if any, below the popping temperature range,whereby operations will continue generally in the proper range, thethermostat operating primarily as a safety switch.

Still it is another object or the invention to provide a pan structurefor an apparatus of this kind including novel means for feeding currentto the heating elements, whereby it is possible to turn the pan in thesame direction from popping position to dumping position and then topopping position.

Again, it is a further object of the invention to provide a novel lidfor the popping pan wherein the lid portions are pivoted off center withrespect to the pan, for a better display and spilling discharge of thepopping corn, and for a quick emptying of the pan when turned orinverted from the popping position to the dumping position.

The above mentioned objects of the invention as well as others, togetherwith the advantages thereof will more fully appear as the specificationproceeds.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a corn popping apparatusembodying the preferred form of the invention, when disposed within anassociated casing.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of one of the electrical circuits, whichmay be advantageously employed, for the driving motor, heating elementand pilot light of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through thepopping pan and illustrates the manner of supporting the same from theassociated standard.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the pop ping pan as taken on theline 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the popping pan, on anenlarged scale, as taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the popping pan,as taken on the line 6-4 of Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical detail sectional views, on a further enlargedscale, as taken on the line 1-1 and 8-8 respectively of Fig. 3.

Figs. 9 and 10 are vertical detail sectional views as taken on the lines8-4 and Iii-i0 respectiveiv 01' F18- 7.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawings, l3 indicates the improved corn popping apparatus as awhole that is normally disposed within a casing l6, for display purposesand for sanitary reasons. The casing comprises a suitable frame thatincludes corner posts H, a top i3, a floor i9 and glass sides and doorsdisposed between said posts and said top and floor respectively, asappears in Fig. l.

The apparatus it includes an upright tubular column or post 2| arrangedtoward one end of the casing and removably mounted at its bottom in asuitable chuck-like fitting 22 fixed to the floor is. A hollow head 23is fixed to the top end of the post 2! and which head includes a shorthorizontally extending boss 24 at one side. As shown in Fig. 3, saidboss carries an axial tubular extension 23 having an inner end portion25 of a larger diameter and spaced from said end portion is an annularcollar or shoulder 27?, the purpose of which will later appear.

On that side of the head opposite the boss 24 are oppositely extendinghollow bosses 23 arranged at a right angle to the plane of the axis ofthe boss 24 and its tubular extension 23. The hollow bosses receive abrace rod 23 that is fixed at its ends to the posts I! at one end of thecasing as appears in Fig. 1. The head 23 also carries a top end hollowboss in which one end of a tubular brace 3| is disposed. The other endof this brace is suitably fixed in the top I8 of the casing. The braces29 and 3| hold the head 23 and the top end of the post 2! -againstlateral movement. The boss 30 includes a housing 32 in which is mounteda pilot light 32a whereby the operator can tell from afar whether or notthe apparatus is in operation.

33 indicates a hollow housing that is journalled at its inner end uponthe boss 24 and has a hub 35 at its outer end that is journalled uponthe extension portion 28. A tube 33 is fixed at one end in the hub 34and its other end internally receives the tubular extension 31 of ahollow head 38 for supporting a popping pan indicated as a whole as at39. A set screw 43 is carried by the hub 34 of the housing 33 to engagebehind the collar 21'. This screw functions to hold the housing 33 andtube 35 against endwise displacement with respect to the head 23; butpermits a rotation or turning movement of the housing 33, tube 35 andpopping pan 39 as a unit about the axis of the tubular extension 25. Inthe boss 24 is a recess 24a to receive a spring pressed pin 40a whichbest appears in Fig. 8. By means of this spring pressed pin and itsrecess, the housing 33 is releasably held in a position corresponding tothe popping position of the pan 39.

A shaft 4! (see Fig. 3) is journalled in the post or standard 2! and thebottom end thereof extends into the casing l6 below the floor I3thereof, where it is operatively connected in driving relation to amotor 42 that appears diagrammatically in Fig. 2. A bevel gear 43 isfixed to the top end of said shaft within the head 23 and this gearmeshes with a similar gear 44 also disposed in the head and mounted onone end of a shaft 45 arranged in the tubular extension 25. A similargear 46 is fixed on the other end of the shaft 45 and is disposed withinthe hollow housing 38. The hub of the gear 46 is journalled in theassociated end of the tubular extension 25 and the other end of theshaft 45 is journalled in the'boss 24.

The pan 33 comprises a relatively heavy or thick, cast plate-like bottom41 and an annular side wall 43 that is brazed at its bottom end to theperipheral edge of the bottom 41. This side wall which is made ofrelatively thin sheet metal, flares upwardly and outwardly toward thetop to terminate in a rolled edge 43. With a brazed connection betweenthe bottom and the side wall of the pan, there is a lesser degree ofheat conductivity between said bottom and side wall than in aconstruction wherein they are integral. Therefore, the bottom does notlose so much of its heat to the side wall and better retains poppingtemperature. The plate like bottom has a raised central portion 33 whichis detachably secured at its underside by screws 30a to a spider llfixed in supporting relation upon the\top side of the housing 38 asappears in Fig. 6.

The bottom end of the housing 33 is closed by a removable bushing 32 inwhich is journalied the hub of an upwardly facing bevel gear 33 arrangedin said housing and meshing with the gear 43 before mentioned. The topwall of the housing 33 and the central portion of the spider 5i coact toreceive a bearing bushing 34 in which the top and bottom ends of a pairof shaft sections 53 and 33 are iournalled, said shaft sections having asplined detachable clutch connection 51 within said bushing. The bottomend of the shaft section 55 has a pin and slot detachable connection 53with the gear 53 as appears in Fig. 6. The shaft section 33 extendsthrough a spacing bushing 53 carried by the pan bottom and arrangedbetween the central portion 30 thereof and the spider 5 I, so as to bedisposed within the pan proper. The hub 30 of an agitator is detachablysecured to the top end of the shaft section 56 as by the screw 3|. Thishub carries a pin-- rality of agitator arms 32 which best appear inFigs. 4 and 6 respectively.

In the underside of the plate-like bottom of the pan 33 is a pair ofinner and outer annular channels 33 and 64 respectively in which arelocated the electrical heating elements or coils 65 and 36 respectively,which are held in place therein by means later to be described. It isapparent that when the coils or elements 3536 are energized, they willheat the pan bottom 41 and that when the motor 42 is energized, it willdrive the agitator arms 32. Due to the formation of the central portion53 of the pan bottom it is apparent that the arms 32 in their rotationwill always tend to move the unpopped corn kernels onto that part of thebottom 41 above the heating elements 65 and 33.

That portion of the pan bottom above the elements 65 and 63 and the sidewall 43 of the popping pan is enclosed by a shell consisting of upperand lower sections 31 and 33 respectively, the meeting ends of saidsections having an interfitting slip joint connection 39 as best appearsin Fig. 6.

The bottom end of the upper section of the shell is formed to provide anormally upwardly opening gutter 33a extending circumferentiaily aboutthe mid portion of the shell. In charging the pan with raw corn and thefluid-like seasoning, should some of the seasoning be accidentallyspilled upon the shell, it runs down the outside of the shell section soas to be caught by the cutter. Thus, at no time can the spilledseasoning work in through the slip joint connection 33 into the interiorof the shell, when the pan is inverted for dumping, and therefore noseasoning can reach the element sheeting to burn through and shortcircuit and which would render the element inoperative. As no seasoningcan reach the elements, there is no smoking so that the inside of, theshell remains clean and sanitary.

Theupper part of the upper section is connected to the upper end of theside wall of the pan by the rolled edge 49. The lower section has anannular shoulder 18 formed therein and has an annular bottom wall H thatincludes a central upturned flange 12 of a diameter approximating thatof the spider A sleeve 18 is provided between the pan bottom 41 at apoint Just outside the spider BI and the flange I2 and which parts coactto form an open bottom chamber at the central bottom portion of thepopping pan as a whole, and in which the hollow head 39 is disposed. Asshown in Fig. 3, said hollow head has an opening 38a therein whereby theinterior thereof is open to atmosphere. This maintains the interior ofsaid head and the gears 48 and 53 therein relatively cool.

The heating units 85 and 66 are removably secured inthe channels 63 and64, in good heating engagement with the bottom 41 of the popping pan bya plurality of spiders I5. Each spider is mounted on a perpendicularpost 16 that has a screw threaded engagement at its top end and dependsdownwardly from portions of the pan bottom 41 at points between thechannels 63 and 64 therein. A look nut 16a is threaded on each post toengage said bottom 41 whereby the post is rigidly fixed to said bottomas best appears in Fig. 6. Each spider comprises a hub 11 and arms 18radiating upwardly and outwardly therefrom, with a foot E9 on each arm.A pair of the feet of each spider is engaged with a heating element65-86 and a nut 16?) is threaded on each post. When said nuts are drawnup tight, this forces the spider upwardly and exerts an upward pressureon the feet of the spiders which holds the elements 65 and 68 snugly intheir channels 63 and 84 and in intimate heating engagement with the panbottom 41.

The posts '55 extend down through a reflector plate 88 that rests at itsouter margin upon the shoulder "58 of the shell section 68. A nut 8| isthreaded on each post and which nuts serve as spacers between the bottomwall 'll of the shell section and the reflector plate. A screw 82 passesthrough the bottom wall H from below and is threaded into the nut 8i anda loci: nut 83 is threaded on the post to engage the top surface oi. thereflector plate. It is apparent from the above that the screws 82removably hold the bottom section 68 of the shell in operative position.Should one of the elements 65-66 require replacement, the shell section86 and the reflector plate 88 are first removed, after which the screws58a are removed, to detach the pan bottom 41 from the spider. With thepan bottom turned upside down, the elements are exposed for easy removaland replacement. The manner of replacing the parts mentioned is obvious.

Within the bottom section or the shell, at one side of the pan as awhole, in a plane at a right angle to the plane of the shaft is locateda two stage thermostat 85 of a conventional construction for controllingthe temperature range produced by the elements -66. This thermostat issuitably supported from a laterally extending lug 86 on the pan bottom4'! and a part 81 of the reflector plate 88 is turned upwardly asappears in Fig. 6 whereby the thermostat is shielded from the adjacentportions of the elements -68. That side of the bottom section of theshield adjacent the thermostat is formed as an opening 88 that iscovered by a removable plate 89 which provides a ventilator for the tothe stages of the control operations of the thermostat 85.

The popping chamber of the pan as provided by the bottom 41 and sidewall 48 is provided with a cover plate or lid indicated as a whole as at98. This cover plate comprises a large plate-like section 9| and asmaller plate-like section 92 that are hingedly connected together by apin 93 along a line off center with respect to the center of the pan asbest appears in Fig. 6. The pin 99 is journalled at its ends in ears 94(see Fig. 1) rising fromthe bead 49 and a handle 95 is secured to thesmaller section of the lid or cover.

With such an oil center cover or lid, when the corn is popping andincreases in bulk, it lifts the lid sections to flow out of the pan ontothe floor I 9 oi the casing l8 and makes for a better display. When thepan is inverted or turned from its popping to its dumping position, aswill later appear, this off center lid construction opens automaticallyfor quicker and more positive dumping of the popped corn.

When the pan has been turned in one direction as to dumping position,both lid sections hang downwardly in full open position. If the pan isturned in the same direction bacl: to popping position, the lid section9| automatically closes with the lid section 92 folded back upon the lidsection 9! so that the pan is ready for charging with corn and seasoningfor the next popping operation. The lid section 92 is then swung intoits closed position by means of the handle 98. If the pan is turned inan opposite direction, back to popping position, the lid section 92closes down upon the pan and the lid section 9! is folded back upon thelid section 9. This also leaves the pan open for charging. Aftercharging, the lid section BI is moved into its closed position. This maybe done by lifting up on the handle 95 which, through the lid section92, throws the lid section 9| into its closed position, after which thelid section 92 is returned to its closed position and the pan is readyfor its popping operation. By reason of the handle, the lid section 92may be manipulated without the danger of burning the fingers.

As before mentioned, the spring pressed plunger 40a engages in therecess 24a of the boss 24 to yieldingly hold the pan in popping positionwherein the open top of the popping pan is uppermost. To swing thepopping pan into its dumping position, the housing 88 is provided at oneside with a tangentially disposed boss 39a in which an operating lever93!) is engaged.

In the housing 98 is provideda plurality of collector rings numbered98-91-98 and 99 respectively, see Fig. 3 and which are spacedlongitudinally of the extension portion 28 and suit ably insulatedtherefrom. These rings have center openings or a diameter greater thanthat of the extension portion 28 and opening into each center opening isa plurality of recesses I88, arranged in line with longitudinal recessesMI in the extension portion 28, as best appears in Fig. 7. Cylindricalmembers I02 of insulation maturial are disposed in these recesses. Thesemembers I02 not only support the rings from the extension 26 but theyhold said rings against rotation and endwise movement thereon.

Each collector ring has a collector brush I03 associated therewith asbest appears in Fig. 10, and all of these brushes are supported by meansof a disk of insulation I04 located in a shouldered recess I05 formed asapart oi the housing 33. A removable cap I08 closes this recess as bestappears in Fig. '7. Each brush I! is oi a duplex character in that asbest shown in Fig. 10, it includes a pair of spring contact fingers.I03a, I03b engaged with opposite sides of the peripheral margins of theassociated collector ring. It is apparent that when the lever 33b isswung in one direction, this swings the popping pan from the poppingposition to the dumping position and the housing 22 turns on the boss24. This carries the collector brushes I09 therewith and these brushesturn with respect to the associated collector rings 9B'91--98 and 99 andremain in electrical contact engagement therewith. By reason of thisarrangement, the lever 33b may be swung further in the same direction toreturn the pan to popping position, the plunger 40 snapping into therecess 24a in the boss 24 at this time. If desired with the constructiondescribed, the lever 33b may be swung back in the opposite directionfrom dumping position to return the pan to popping position. Thus shouldthe operator become confused as to which way to turn the lever 33b inbringing the pan from dumping to popping position, the lever may beswung in either direction and no damage can occur to the mechanism asthere are no conductors to become twisted and possibly broken andshorted.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated diagrammatically one form of circuit forthe apparatus. In said figure it is apparent that the brushes I03associated with the collector ring 91 and 99 respectively are connectedby lines IIO and III respectively, each to one side of an associatedheating element 68 and 65 respectively. The other sides of said elementsare connected by lines II2 and H3 respectively to one of the contactslid of the thermostat, the other contact of which is indicated at H5.The contact H is connected by a line II8 to the brush I03 of the ring 98and which ring is connected by a line II! to ground that is indicated atII8. A branch IISa leads from the line IIE to the brush I03 associatedwith the ring 96 and a line 9 connects this ring to the line II'I sothat the line H9 in eficct leads to ground H8. The pilot light 32a isarranged in the line H9.

The current lead in line is indicated at I20 and a pair of two poleswitches I2I and I22 are connected to said line. The arms of saidswitches are adapted to engage pairs of associated contacts I23I24 andI25-I28 respectively and the contacts I24-I25 are connected by a lineI21 that leads to one side of the motor 42 the other side of which isgrounded as appears in Fig. 2. The contact I23 is connected by a lineI28 to the ring 99 and the contact I26 is connected by a line I29 withthe ring 91.

When the switches I2I and I22 are open, the circuits for both elements6566, the motor 42 and the light 32a are open and deenergized. When theswitch I 2I is closed, this energizes one circuit for the motor from theline I20, through the switch I2I, contact I24, line I21 to ground IIB.This also closes a circuit from the line I20,

through the switch I2I to contact I23 and through the line I28, ring 99,line III to one side of the element 60 out through the other side of theelement to which the line III is connected to line H2 and contact III.Assuming that the thermostat 08 is in that condition bridging thecontacts Ill and H5, current flows through the line HR to ring 98 andthrough the line III to ground H8. Current at this time also flowsthrough the line H8 and branch Ilia to the ring 90 and from therethrough the line H9 and light 82a to line III to ground IIB.

Thus the motor 02 is in operation, the element 99 is energized to heatthe pan bottom 01 and the light 22a is on to visibly show this conditionto the operator. If more heat is desired for the pan bottom, the switchI22 may be closed so that current fiows from the line I20 through theswitch I22, contact I20, line I29 to the ring 91. It then followsthrough the brush I02 associated with said ring, through the line I I0to one side of the heating element and out through the other sidethrough the line II2 to the contact Ill. With the thermostat III closedso as to bridge the contacts III-I I5, current flows through the line H6to brush I 03 associated ring 98 and then out through the line III tothe ground H8. Of course, the motor 42 is still encrgized and thecircuit for the light 32a is still closed.

Should the pan bottom 4! become too hot. then the thermostat 85 opens tobreak the circuit for both heating elements and the light 32a but themotor 42 will continue to run to drive the agitator 52 not only to keepthe corn in motion for a popping of the unpopped kernels, but to preventscorching of the popped kernels. So soon as the tempertaure of the panbottom falls to a certain degree, the thermostat closes and the circuitfor both heating elements and the pilot light are then closed.

With the arrangement described, it is possible to employ either of theheating elements 65-66 alone or jointly. Therefore, it is possible toobtain three diilerent heating rates.

It is pointed out that should the corn in the pan be popped as anentirety, and it becomes necessary to dump the popping pan, the operatormerely swings the lever 33b in either direction to turn the pan intodumping position. To return the pan to popping position, the lever maybe turned either in the same direction or back in the other direction.In either case, the brushes I03 swing about the associated collectorrings to maintain the circuits for the heating elements and the pilotlight closed.

No matter how many times the lever is turned in the same direction,there are no wires to become twisted and therefore there can be nobroken wires and resulting short circuits.

Assume that the operator is starting with a cold popping pan. By closingboth switches and setting the lever 85b, this energizes the motor 42 andheating elements 65-68 so that the temperature of the pan bottom isquickly raised to popping temperature. At this time the raw corn and theseasoning may be placed in the pan. As this corn and seasoning is atonly room temperature and relatively cool, it will quickly absorb heatunits for popping purposes. With the pan bottom made relatively thick asbefore described, suiiicient residual heat is in the pan bottom alterthe corn and seasoning has been placed in the pan to bring thetemperature back thus operations are not delayed.

With the bottom and side of the pan enclosed in the shell, as beforedescribed, heat is conserved, and the bottom of the pan rises to poppingtemperature rapidly. Again. heat is conserved by.mean-s of the plate 80which reflects heat back upon the pan bottom. This reflector platehowever, is so positioned with respect to the heating elements that itwill not concentrate the reflected heat directly on the heating elementsso therefore they cannot become so hot as to burn out.

It is pointed out at this time that the conductor wires, leading to andfrom the various collector rings, are disposed in the hollow post 3| andenter the housing 33 through an opening 24b in the head as appears inFig. 8. The wires for conducting current to and from the elements 65-66lead off from the interior of the cap I08 through a hollow armored cable16a that appears in Fig. 1.

The apparatus is foolproof, is capable of faster popping operationsbetween corn and seasoning charging, and it assures a uniform popping ofthe corn with a material absence in culls or unpopped kernels at the endof each popping operation.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to theform, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, thesame is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do notwish to be limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Corn popping apparatus embodying therein a popping pan having abottom with a plurality of grooves in the underside thereof, heatingelements in said grooves, members depending from said bottom, spidersdisposed upon said members and having parts engaged with said elements,means on said members and engaged with said spiders for holding them inoperative position with respect to said heating elements, and reflectormeans below said heating elements and supported by said members.

2. Corn popping apparatus embodying therein a popping pan having abottom and a side wall, heating means in operative relation with theunderside of said bottom, means providing an enclosing shell for saidDan and having a bottom below said pan bottom, means depending from panbottom for supporting said shell, spiders arranged on said dependingmeans and engaged with said heating means, for holding them in positionwith respect to said bottom, and a refiector plate between said spidersand shell bottom. said spiders and said reflector plate being supportedfrom said depending means.

3. Corn popping apparatus embodying therein an open top popping pan thatmay be turned about a horizontal axis from a popping position to adumping position and then to a popping position, a cover for said pancomprising a plurality of cover parts hingedly mounted with respect toeach other and to the pan, one of said cover parts having an areagreater than that of the other.

4. Corn popping apparatus embodying therein an open top popping pan thatmay be turned about a horizontal axis from a popping position to adumping position and then to a popping position, a cover'for closingsaid pan when in said popping position, said cover comprising at leasttwo .cover parts hingedly connected together and to the pan and 011center with respect to the pan.

5. A com popping apparatus embodying therein a popping pan, meansproviding a shell extending about the side of the pan and meansproviding an upwardly opening gutter on the outside of the shell. 1

6. In a corn popping apparatus the combination 'of a popping pan mountedfor a tilting movement about a horizontal axis from a popping positionto a dumping position and back to said popping position, and meansproviding a cover for said pan and comprising at least two cover partspivotally connected together oil?- center of the pan and about ahorizontal axis with respect to the pan and capable of independentswinging movement into and out of a closed position on said pan.

7. In a corn popping apparatus the combination of a popping pan mountedfor tilting movement about. a horizontal axis from a popping position toa dumping position and back to said popping position, and meansproviding a cover for said pan and comprising cover parts of differentareas pivotally connected together oncenter or the pan and about ahorizontal axis with respect to the pan and capable of independentmovement into and out of a. closed position on said pan.

8. Corn popping apparatus embodying therein a popping pan having arelatively thin side wall and a thicker bottom, means beneath saidbottom for heating the pan therethrough to a predetermined temperaturewithin the popping temperature range, the thickness of said bottom beingof such magnitude that upon charging the pan for a popping operation, itwill retain that amount of heat ,therein which will prevent the pan fromdropping to a temperature below said range whilst the heating meansagain restores the pan to higher temperature within said range, a shellenclosing said side and said bottom of the pan and providing an airspace thereabout, means in said air space below said pan bottom andshielded from said heating means for controlling the application of heatto said pan bottom when the temperature substantially exceeds or iallsbelow the desired temperature within said range, heat reflecting meansin said air space and below and supported from said pan bottom, meansalso in said air space below said pan bottom for controlling theapplication 01' heat to said pan bottom when the temperaturesubstantially exceeds or falls below the desired temperature in saidrange, means carried by said reflecting means for shielding saidcontrolling means from the action of said heating means, and meansproviding for the passage of air through that part of the shell directlyassociated with said controlling means so as to provide a circulation ofair about said controlling means.

CHARLES J. QRETORS.

